TEXAS —The new Army Futures Command headquarters located in Austin has been touted as marking a culture shift. The main mission – to modernize the service’s future force.  

But some skeptical members of Congress are questioning whether it will help.

“The Army has struggled over the years in terms of new acquisition programs,” Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Connecticut, said during a House panel Thursday. “What are we going to see happen in two years that would be a measuring stick so that we can see real change?”

Gen. John M. Murray, the director of the new command, said the timetable will be aggressive.

“We will have next generation capabilities in the hands of our soldiers in the next three to five years, as that is the only metric that matters,” Gen. Murray told the committee.

Gen. Murray said that while they can’t promise miracles, the project will deliver a modern arsenal -- while building private partnerships.

“Entrepreneurs, private industry, big business, small business. We just see them as a valuable team member that we can learn from and come up with better solutions because of it,” Gen. Murray said.

Both Republicans and Democrats on the committee voiced skepticism that a project of this magnitude will produce modernization within the Army, an institution known for bureaucracy. Others questioned how much the Army can really scout out fresh ideas and make advancements while working out of Austin.

Click the video link above to hear more from Gen. Murray and our one-on-one interview with Col. Patrick Seiber, the Command’s communications director.